Re: Controling Holiday Lights

["Jeff Volp" <JeffVolp@xxxxxxx>]

X10 is not capable of sub 1 second control.  A normal X10 command takes two
messages, such as A-1, A-ON.  With the 3 cycle intermessage gap, a complete
command takes 47 cycles of 60Hz.  Another 3 cycle gap is needed before
another message can be sent.

I would use a PC controlling a bunch of solid state relays.  Years ago I
built custom factory automation equipment using DOS era PCs, and even that
would be capable of doing what you want.

Jeff

"ANDREW GREGORY" <4pyros@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:onBYg.1136$Dg5.1061@xxxxxxxxxxx
>   I have used X-10 to turn my holiday lights on and off for years mainly
> because we have so many lights. We put on a good show for Halloween and
> right after I start putting up 27,000 Christmas lights. I have been
> increasing the complexity of our display every year with some animations
and
> flashing lights but it is vary difficult and time consuming using
Activehome
> and the X-10 hardware. I would like to take it to the next level this year
> but can not find any good X-10 software to use.
>   I have been looking at the software offerings and am having a hard time
> finding something to help me to the next level. I have looked at allot of
> the free stuff and found most can not be programmed faster than 1 sec. not
> fast enough for sequencing dancing lights and still time consuming to
> program. Looking at allot of the paid programs I can not determine if it
> will help without buying them all.
>   I am looking for a X-10 control program that is easy to program
sequences
> down to a tenth of a second to do some dancing lights in my 45 foot
> charismas tree this year. Can anybody tell me if the software they are
using
> mite be able to help  or should I scrap the hole idea and us some thing
like
> Weed Techs digital I/O board and hope to find some good control software
for
> it to do dancing lights.
>   The ultimate for me would be a program that would run off an excel
spread
> sheet where if a box is filled to would turn on an output and stay on if
> more boxes where filled and then off at the next clear box running over
> time.
>   I have seen all the ready made charismas light hardware and software but
I
> do not have the time or money to go that route and was hoping to save some
> of my investment in X-10 that has served me well all these years leading
up
> to this point.
>
>   Thanks Andy